Get an interesting insight into the British colonial years of Chennai and India at Fort St. George. Visit historical buildings, including an Anglican church, while you stroll around the fort’s grounds. See exhibitions of relics that highlight the lifestyle of British rulers. Established in 1644, Fort St. George is one of India’s oldest British-built monuments. Once the headquarters of the East India Company, today it is home to a museum, historic landmarks and government offices.
A major highlight of the fort is the Fort Museum. Here, 10 well-presented galleries portray the British high standard of living and the trading influence of the East India Company. See displays of military uniforms, ceremonial outfits and medals awarded to soldiers who fought in the Indian sub-continent wars. Check out the portraits of King George III, Queen Victoria and Sir Arthur Havelock, among other royalty and esteemed figures.
Don’t miss the museum’s scale model of how the fort looked in the 19th century and a diagram of its evolution. Discover a collection of centuries-old British, Danish, Dutch and Portuguese coins. Find Indo-French clocks, furniture, porcelain and stamps. The French briefly occupied the fort in the mid-1700s.
Go to the graceful St. Mary’s Church, which dates back to 1678 and is one of the earliest Anglican churches built in India. Step inside to see commemorative inscriptions, intricate wooden furnishings and a painting of the Last Supper. Don’t miss the fort’s striking main building, characterized by grand columns and arcades. It houses the Tamil Nadu secretariat and legislative assembly, which are closed to the general public.
The fort is about a 10-minute drive from both Chennai’s city centre and the George Town neighbourhood. Get here via an affordable taxi or auto-rickshaw. Alternatively catch a train to Chennai Fort Railway Station.
Fort St. George is open daily and there’s an admission fee. An admission fee is also applicable for the museum, which is open from Saturday to Thursday. The church is open daily, except for Sunday. After visiting the fort you might want to stroll along Kamarajar Promenade, which frames the lively Marina Beach.
